


Assorted Drabbles

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: 3rd Age - The Stewards, General
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2004-06-18
Packaged: 2018-03-24 19:51:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3782281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Return to Rivendell

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

When Elrond left for Gondor with Arwen, Rivendell lay bathed in a golden light that promised a fine summer.

When he returns with others months later, the valley is still as fair and calm.

To the others it appears summer still lingers in the leaves that stay on the trees and the trailing scent of late blooms. But Elrond knows it will pass soon. The mists have started rolling in and stray clouds hide the stars in the evenings and the voices in the Hall of Fire are softer now, even as they sing of the glorious summer that was.

***


	2. Waiting For Winters End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

The winter had been long, fraught with fear and worry. But spring, they’d heard, had reached Ithilien, and would soon touch Minas Tirith too. Then, the gardens spread between layers of harsh stone would bloom anew and some of the grimness that filled the city would be lifted, all hoped.

All except the weary man who from a high tower in the citadel gazed down at a barren courtyard where stood the skeletal remains of a long-dead tree.

To him, the new season seemed destined never to arrive.

In his hands he held the broken shards of an ancient horn.

***


	3. The Steward and the Wizard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

For the Envy challenge on the tolkien_weekly LJ

***

"Mithrandir!"

The voice sounds so shrill and excited that it causes Denethor to turn around and frown at the boy running across the courtyard towards their visitor.

Faramir halts abruptly when he nears them and then stands by irresolutely chewing his lower lip before lowering his head. His bright eyes now have a wary look about them.

Denethor greets the wizard first and then watches as his younger son looks up and steps forward quietly. Faramir's words are so soft they are nearly inaudible. Yet, Denethor's ears cannot miss in his voice the smile that he never gets to hear.

***


	4. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

The rich, dark soil of the Pelennor was red when it came rushing up to meet him as he fell, shoulder on fire, mind screaming in tandem with the cries around him.

Blurred figures danced above him, misshapen masses of green, brown, red and black. Swords danced above his face. Unable to do aught but wait for them to pierce through his fevered flesh, he lay unmoving on the blood-slicked earth as one that knew all was near lost.

Sharp lines of silver streaked with red glinted through the haze in front of his eyes, and then all was gone.

***


	5. A Familiar Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

There was none other like it.

He recognised it at first sight. And yet...

He knelt down and brushed away the long fronds of wet grass to reveal what remained of the familiar shape.

He knew where to look. He scraped slowly at a broken corner, the ugly coating of half-wet moss picked up from the shallow bank, clinging to his leaden fingers… a nauseating blackish-green, dripping water back onto the sodden rushes beneath. But he continued, until it finally peeled off to reveal the familiar tiny crack that a wild sword thrust had left on the horn of Gondor.

***

For the 'green' challenge on the tolkien_weekly LJ community


	6. The View From the Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

Denethor lifted the covering, weary eyes taking in a now familiar sight. A smooth black surface... a glow... the once white streets of his city... the sweeping flatlands no longer green, fires raging, men, animals, fighting, falling... the river... boats burning red against a sky so dark it took a second to distinguish against it, fresh sails… black sails… ever increasing.

And then once more his city, the citadel, the Tower where lay his son... vanishing to the blackness of the stone. He rose slowly, black sails still fluttering in front of his eyes, and returned to his ailing son.

***

For the 'black' challenge on the tolkien_weekly LJ community


	7. The Colour of the Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

When she stands at her window she can see spread below the place she has left Dol Amroth for.

They call it the White City. She often wonders why.

The stones they say are white, gleaming when the sun rays fall on them, the reflection glaring enough to make one shade their eyes, but to her seeing the land ever decked in shadow, they have only always been grey and foreboding.

She watches everyday, hoping to see once the white city old songs and poems speak of, and her husband dreams of, but she does not think she ever will.

***

For the 'white' challenge on the tolkien_weekly community


	8. A Little Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

It lies on the bed of the Great River, a little thing lodged under the fronds of a fern that has lived for long years. It lies unmoving. Sometimes when light falls on it, it glints, else it remains the same.

There are other things in the water, hooks to trap and snare, creatures larger, biting, filled with maiming poisons ... and yet it is this they will not near. They do not know why but for as long as they remember, none in the water nears this tiny ring lying sheltered under the river fern that does not age.

***

For the 'The Life Aquatic' challenge on the Tolkien_Weekly community


	9. Childhood Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

**Childhood Dreams**

Sometimes they had times like this; seated together in a quiet tavern, watching the skies dimming over the mountains across the river.

Boromir’s voice is wistful, slowed by sweet wines from far-off vales, "When you were young you wanted to be a river... I was surprised..."

Faramir’s smile is as wistful, "That I wanted to be a river? Strong, tireless, full of life, unstopping till the sea? You wanted to be a horse..."

"A noble beast... I was surprised...," he pauses, "... I thought you’d want to be..."

"I wanted to be you," Faramir replies, "... strong, tireless, full of life, unstopping..."

***

For "The Life Aquatic" challenge on Tolkien_Weekly.

The brothers wanting to be rivers and horses is from a scene from an old fic, [Strength of a River](http://www.henneth-annun.net/members/stories/chapter.cfm?STID=1961)


	10. All His

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An AU drabble for the 'topsy turvy' challenge on the tolkien_weekly community

Note: An AU drabble for the 'topsy turvy' challenge on the tolkien_weekly community

***

It is well-crafted, beautiful, especially when it speaks to him. To give it away for the three Sauron promised is unappealing.

Why not keep it? And all that comes with it. The land of the horselords (they will rid it of the horses first) and the stone city of men for all men are as weak as their lords who lie dead. The Shire for the halflings are apparently not unalike the men. The elven realms for the elves shall leave.

All of Middle-earth to build the dwarven greatest cities on, and Gimli, son of Gloín, shall be their lord.

***


	11. Struck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the "Sharp" challenge on Tolkien_weekly

Note: For the "Sharp" challenge on Tolkien_weekly

***

It was a Haradrim dart that struck him, Faramir knew. Any Ithilien ranger would. They had spent long enough in the line of fire to know one when it hit.

The tip would be pared so fine as to ensure that it pierced the skin swiftly and deep. The intent not just to fell, but also to inflict grave injury and pain; a mere pin-prick at first and then pure agony.

He thought as he fell that he might have felt that pain, were it not that his father's words had already pierced him... deeper than any weapon ever could.

***


	12. Inheritance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also for the "Sharp" challenge on Tolkien_weekly

Note: Also for the "Sharp" challenge on Tolkien_weekly

***

There is much of Denethor in Faramir.

There is that stone-cold gaze. Despite the wounds from battle, and otherwise, Faramir's eyes have lost none of the piercing quality that proclaims him Denethor's son.

"Where is my father?"

Then there is in his voice that same acidic bitterness when Gandalf does not reply.

"Are you going to evade my queries too, Mithrandir? Will you, at least, tell me how he died?"

And there is that same incisive bent of mind.

"Yes I will," Gandalf replies.

Faramir's eyes soften. There is also much of Denethor that is not in Gondor's new Steward.

***


	13. This Land, So Rich, So Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the "History of Violence" challenge on the Tolkien_weekly community

Note: For the "History of Violence" challenge on the Tolkien_weekly community

The title is from a song or a hymn from my schooldays that I can't quite recall much else of other than that it was some patriotic thingy.  *** They tell their Captain the tales they heard from their fathers who heard them from their fathers - of farmsteads nestled between gently rolling fragrant woods, of spring festivals and bountiful harvests, of the life once dwelt in this land termed fair as though a lady.

But Faramir knows too the other tales untold - of shadows ever-present, of war, victories and routs, of constant forays by all manner of foe and of the mountains to the east.

And often he wonders as they do if they can ever give to this land still beautiful in its wilderness the peace it deserves.

***


	14. Distant Lands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the "Edoras" challenge on the Tolkien_weekly community 

"Mithrandir says you have travelled many lands," Faramir ventured.

"I suppose I have," Aragorn admitted smiling. He'd been assured that to truly converse as a friend with his Steward he need speak of no more than his ventures in distant lands.

"Tell him of elven lands, Harad, Khand, oliphaunts, kines; you will have him enthralled for hours," Gandalf had said, "I have related countless tales before but he will have more from you gladly."

"Where would you like to hear of?" Aragorn asked, "Harad? Lothlorien? Mirkwood?"

Faramir's eyes turned westwards where the white mountains stretched far.

"Tell me of Edoras."

***

Note: For the "Edoras" challenge on the Tolkien_weekly community 


	15. Everywhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

As a child, Elboron loved to visit Minas Tirith with his father. Early each morning, they'd walk through quiet streets soon to be bustling, past fine houses, beautiful gardens, old taverns, winding stone walls where one could stand, watch the river.   
  
Each day, Faramir would happily take his son all over this city he had lived in, and tell him all about everything.  
  
As a child, Elboron knew the seven circles of Minas Tirith as well as Faramir once had… but for one place in the sixth circle - a silent street under the Mindolluin. Faramir would not take him there.  
  
***

A/N - For the "Exception" challenge on tolkien_weekly


	16. No Words of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

*** 

It is still early when they depart. In that grey and cold hour, the men riding with Faramir try to allay the fear and despair in the few gathered to bid them a quiet farewell – friends, fellow soldiers staying behind to defend the walls, wives and sisters who have not left the city. But no words of hope echoing emptily in the stillness can convince them that these men do not ride out to their end. 

Faramir says nothing - he cannot tell them that perhaps for him hope ended the night he saw a grey boat in the Anduin. 

***  


For the "Endings" challenge on tolkien_weekly 


	17. Unmusical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

When he'd first heard the horn as a child, resonating through Boromir's high-ceilinged chamber, Faramir hadn't quite cared for the sound, although Boromir felt it was sweeter than any song he knew. It was as Boromir grew older and left home more often that the loud blast came to appear as sweet to Faramir. The faintest peal had him running to the battlements to watch his brother ride in.

He'd long forgotten once disliking the harsh sound until he heard it this time, so distant that if it weren't for his father's ashen face he'd have thought he dreamt it.

***

For the "Music" challenge on Tolkien_Weekly


	18. Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assorted drabbles for assorted live journal challenges

There were times when he let the guarded sadness show in his face. And she wished she could tell him to let down those walls, at least in front of those he professed to love.  
  
But there were also times when she heard in his voice the vestiges of a teasing, laughing note, and it gladdened her, for he had been too grave, too solemn in the little time she had known him. To see him smile cheered her.  
  
And whenever her face shone so in the bright sunshine the city was yet to get accustomed to; so did his.  
  
***  
  
  
For the "Shiny" challenge on tolkien_weekly


End file.
